Reflections in a Broken Mirror
by rowantree13
Summary: The Gundams have been destroyed, but the information on the Gundams has been found. There's a new generation of Gundam pilots with the original pilots as their mentors, each pilot ready to defend Earth and the colonies yet again.
1. War and Peace and War

Prologue  
  
A.C. 206  
  
It was night, the time when parents tucked their kids into bed to fall asleep and sleep sweet dreams of dragons and fairy tales. It was when teenagers were with friends, watching the sky as clouds drifted past the moon, waiting for the opportunity to sneak a kiss on their 'steady'.   
  
It was also the time when some of the lowest deviants came forth, crawling out from the woodwork, for the darkness always called it's own. But even in the darkness, there was light.   
  
But none of it shone on Dirk Baxter.  
  
Not even his eyes glinted in the moonlight or from the streetlights- they were dark and lifeless, passive, almost glazed over. His eyes were the eyes of a monster that had been killed.   
  
Unfortunately, he was a monster that could not be killed.   
  
He looked down and then up the street, waiting for the dealer. It was considered foolish to be standing in the middle of a suburban neighborhood waiting for some low-life, but Dirk needed secrecy. What better place than a random block with decent housing? At least there were no 'Neighborhood Watch' signs that made every single house seem like it had eyes, and the people inside were waiting to call the police to arrest you if you so much as spit in their yard.  
  
But it was worth it. The dealer had what he had wanted... what he had been waiting for so long...   
  
Even since OZ had been defeated, as well as the Bartons, the rate of terrorist activities had dropped dramatically. Most people wanted peace.  
  
"What, drawn and talk of peace? I hate the word," he said aloud, a grin appearing on his face, contrasting with his eyes. "As I hate hell, and all Montagues and thee!" He laughed low. Shakespeare had known so much, and he existed thousands of years ago!   
  
He turned and looked down the street. Ah, there was the dealer now.  
  
The dealer, a guy named Jakes, strode up to Dirk, stopping a foot away from him. Jakes had a shifting gaze, his eyes darted left to right, as if he was a skittish animal. His voice was raspy and reminded Dirk of gravel being driven over.   
  
"I got what you needed, Baxter. You got th' money?"   
  
Dirk nodded and reached into his jacket. Jakes bolted back a few feet, causing Dirk to look up in surprise. A laugh escaped from Dirk's mouth.  
  
"Jakes, you're the most nervous person I've ever met. Now, come on, would I shoot you here and now? Especially since you have the information..."  
  
Jakes grinned, his yellowed and nicotine-stained teeth like a pirate's grin as he reached into his own pocket, pulling out five disks, each labeled and in their own case.   
  
"These are worth a lot, eh?"   
  
Dirk nodded as he took a envelope from his jacket and opened it, showing it to Jakes. The bills in the envelope were at least an inch thick, all of it amounting to ten thousand dollars. But it was worth it.   
  
Jakes and Dirk made the switch, Jakes eagerly taking the money out of the envelope, Dirk pocketing the disks into his jacket. "No one saw you at the old department of OZ?"   
  
Jakes shrugged. "I was in a sanitation worker's uniform, no one really notices them nowadays. 'Sides, I got in, got out, record time too. No one will know about the swipe until later."   
  
Dirk grinned ferally. "That's all I need to know."   
  
With that, Dirk grabbed the gun he had concealed and shot Jakes twice. A silencer made sure that no one had heard it. Jakes fell, shocked at the pain and the sight of his own blood flowing out of his body. He looked up at Dirk, who stood over him, Dirk's eyes horribly giving him a glimpse of his fate.   
  
"You...said...you...would't...shoot...me..."   
  
Dirk was still grinning as he leaned down, making sure that his face would be the last thing Jakes would see.  
  
"I didn't say anything about not shooting you. You assumed I wouldn't, but the here and now has passed. By the way, thank you, Jakes. I'll send you plenty of other people to keep you company."   
  
Jakes didn't reply. He wasn't able to.  
  
Dirk leaned back up, grabbed the money that had falled out of Jakes' hand, and walked the opposite way that Jakes had came. He had previously thought that Jakes would be useful in the future, but found out that Jakes had been involved with smuggling before, serving a light sentence in jail- only because he had ratted on his customers.   
  
Dirk couldn't afford any loose ends. But to kill another person?  
  
Oh, it was worth it. That was why he had asked Jakes for the disks in the first place.   
  
They were definitely worth it. 


	2. 01 Antigone

The year is After Colony 198. A year after the peace was made between the space colonies and Earth. In the year 195, there was a war in which millions of people were killed, living not only on Earth but also the space colonies. To protect the colonies, five scientists sent special mobile suits, known as Gundams, to Earth, along with their chosen pilot. Five boys piloted those Gundams, each one learning about the horror, tragedy, victory and utter chaos that war is. Now, the Gundams are destroyed, and the weapon known as Gundam was never used again.

However…there are still threats to the now peacefully established Earth Sphere Unified Nation. One of the largest threats will interrupt the lives of those that wish for peace and harmony between Earth and Space…and those who have fought for it, especially five pilots… the students taught to fight will now become the teachers… the legacy for peace will be passed down, father to son, mother to daughter, teacher to pupil...

Time touches everyone, in some shape or form.

Colony L1- 7:45 PM- April 17, 198 A.C

It was a crowded street, lined with markets, separated by the road that cars kept speeding past toward their destinations. The locals and tourists walked down the street, searching the stores. It was a good day for it, too, with the weather machines capturing the sun's energy. Most people were out with their loved ones, but there were those that were out by themselves, just looking around.

He felt disconcerted, which was unfamiliar to him, considering that he was conditioned to be the 'perfect soldier' everyone desired to command since he was a child. But it had been so long since he had been here, a little disorientation wasn't even worth thinking about. What unnerved him was that it might have been noticeable.

'Heero Yuy' had been sent to Earth at the age of fifteen, to fight for the colonies' independence from the Alliance, then again from the tyranny of OZ when it took over. Now, eighteen years old, he felt much older and wiser than people twice his age, having piloted a Gundam, being imprisoned, accomplishing missions, guerilla attacks, as well as being shot at constantly for a period of two years.

"And hit twice," he muttered to himself, smirking at the memory. He had programmed missiles on an OZ base to blow up his Gundam, not knowing that there was another Gundam pilot who had found his Gundam, or who the other Gundam pilot was. And it was the other pilot that had shot him- Duo Maxwell, the pilot of Deathscythe. Duo was known as the God of Death, Shinigami, whenever he was in battle, but to his friends, he was just Duo.

He felt a strange lump in his throat, realizing it was nostalgia. There was Duo Maxwell, Trowa Barton, Quatre Raberba Winner, Chang Wufei, and himself. All of the Gundam pilots, each not knowing of the other's existence- and when they finally met, it was as if they were distant family members, of sorts. But over the years, when they got to know each other better, it wasn't merely war buddies meeting again. They were like brothers, drawn together by destiny. Heero wondered what the others were up to right now… as busy he was being the head of Relena's security team, he was able to get some time off, to visit the colony that he had met Dr. J at, learned about the Gundams, the training necessary to pilot one…

BUMP!

"Oh, sorry about that," said the girl as she stumbled back upright, balancing a book bag on her left shoulder. "I didn't see you, and with all this stuff I'm carrying... I'm really sorry…" She hefted her book bag again, shifting the weight in it so it was easier to hold, rushing away from him hurriedly.

Heero had kept his eyes up and saw the girl as she had walked into him... but the way she had 'accidentally' turned and walked... it had seemed staged. As she walked away, he noticed a paper that was folded and did appear to be dropped there recently.

'Probably fell out of her bag,' he thought as he picked it up and opened it. His eyebrows narrowed as his eyes scanned the paper. He stared at the paper, shocked. Written on the paper was a message- a mission- from a person that he knew to be dead. The code name 'Antigone' was written there, bringing an obscure memory back to him, Dr. J telling him to look in the future for someone with that name.

He looked up, searching for the girl- she was sitting on the curb of the street, the book bag on the ground. She was wearing a red t-shirt, blue jeans and black shoes, a tomboy schoolgirl out of class for the day. Her eyes, golden colored eyes, were glancing around at the traffic or the other people that were moving. No one would give her any notice. But Heero knew that it had been planned that he would see that paper, and therefore go to her.

'She caught my attention on purpose,' Heero thought to himself as he crossed the street, walking past the crowds until he was sitting beside her on the curb. A third party might think they were friends or siblings merely sitting together. Heero spoke low so she was the only one who heard what he said.

"I'm Heero Yuy. I take it you're Antigone. How long have you been here?"

The girl, who looked to be about ten years old, brushed some of her red-brown hair out of her face as she stared up at Heero.

"For a few weeks. It was difficult to see through the crowd, but once I had seen you... you matched the description. Dark brown hair, blue eyes, and-" she looked at his clothes and smiled, her amber colored eyes shining in the fading light "-a green tank top and black spandex shorts with tan sneakers."

Heero looked at her, his face expressionless as he spoke. "I wear socks too." He stood up, and the girl stood up quickly, struggling with her book bag. Heero tried to grab it from her, but her eyes flicked up with resentment for an instant- then faded as she shook her head. "I can handle it," she hefted it to her shoulder, her eyes averted.

Heero looked up at the sky, which had begun to darken quickly. "It's going to rain soon. Do you have a place to stay?"

She heard him and looked up as well, swearing under her breath. "Damn. I need to go back-"

"It's alright," Heero stopped her, and walked quickly down the street toward the direction of a hotel. "Follow me. I have a room at a hotel here. Besides, we need to talk."

She ran after him until she was walking beside him, a quizzical expression on her face.

"About what?"

He turned, his intense blue eyes staring like lasers into her amber eyes, wide with surprise, but without fear.

Heero turned and kept walking. "Why Dr. J wanted me to train you for piloting mobile suits."


	3. 02 Raphael

Colony L2- 8:45 PM- April 17, 198 A.C

"Alright, Hilde, I get your point! But I'm not a little kid- I can stay up as late as I want to!"

Duo Maxwell bounced up from the couch and pressed the 'Off' button to the TV, watching as the screen picture faded to black. Hilde was in the kitchen, putting away the leftovers from dinner into the fridge, still berating him.

"I know you're not a child anymore, but you're not fifteen either, Duo! Your work as a space salvager and a delivery man pays the bills for this place, I just don't want you falling asleep when working or anything!"

Duo turned toward Hilde, his braid swinging behind him as he moved, leaning against the table and watching Hilde with an eyebrow raised.

"Listen, Hilde, I promise you, if I was tired, I would go home and sleep rather than be caught sleeping on the job! 'Sides, I have my own place now, you'd think I'd risk it over something as stupid as staying up late?"

Hilde put the leftovers' containers in the fridge and shut the door. "I know you Duo... you'd never do anything like that..." A mischievous smile lit Hilde's face. "Risking your life, or beating up bad guys, or flirting with soldier girls, that's more your style, isn't it?"

"Shut up, Hilde!" said Duo, but he was grinning as he flung a dishcloth from the sink at her. Hilde laughed and shrieked as the wet cloth hit her in the face, slid down and hit the floor. She grabbed it and started rolling it up in a rat's tail, her eyes glinting at Duo. He caught on right away and cringed in fear, backing away.

"Oh crap!!" Duo bolted, running quickly and jumping over the couch as Hilde chased after him. She was fast, but the man known as Shinigami was an expert at evading anyone or anywhere. He twisted, dived and slid away, finally being cornered in- where else- the corner of the laundry room.

He tried to scrabble out of the window, but Hilde was right behind him. Before she could hit him, he heard something... it sounded like rusty metal parts being moved around... the junkyard!

Quickly Duo put a finger to his mouth and motioned for Hilde to keep quiet. She saw the seriousness on his face and set the dishcloth on top of the washer, figuring she'd get him back later. They crept outside through the window until they were in the yard. Some of the spare parts and metal had been clearly moved around by someone.

Footsteps were heard, coming closer toward them! Duo and Hilde ducked behind a large pile of scrap metal, and through one of the rusted holes Duo could see was there.

It was a kid, about eight or nine years old, wearing a tattered and patched black leather jacket, a blue baseball cap, jeans and sneakers, pushing a half decent motorcycle toward them. Duo recognized the engine- it was one from an old Harley-Davidson that had been scrapped and dumped near the junkyard. Duo had wheeled it home, eager to take it apart and use the engine, but he never had the free time to. The kid's voice, a girl's voice, was heard, singing in a low whisper:

"There's a lady who's sure, all that glitters is gold, and she's buying a stairway to heaven..." The singing stopped. "Damn, what's the next lines…"

"Hey! What do you think you're doing??" Duo stood up and ran toward the girl, who stopped dead in her tracks and looked up. Moving swiftly, he tackled her to the ground. The girl reached into her jacket pocket and flicked a switchblade open in front of Duo's eyes, but a foot came down and pinned the girl's wrist to the ground. Hilde stood over her, eyeing the knife in the girl's hand. The girl dropped it and Hilde reached down and grabbed it, flicking it shut and putting it in her pants pocket.

Despite her predicament and being caught, the girl grinned cheerfully. "Wow… never thought there were guards 'round here! You guys hiring?"

Duo's eyebrows narrowed as he stared down at the girl. "Listen, kid, I don't know who you are, but you're in deep trouble! You broke in here, steal my parts, threaten me with a knife-"

"And a partridge in a pear tree!" laughed the girl, still grinning. Duo looked up at Hilde, their expressions the same. Was this kid crazy?

Like quicksilver, the girl pulled herself out of Duo's grasp and tried to run away, but Hilde pressed her foot harder against the girl's wrist, making her yank her arm wildly, trying to pull free. After a struggle the girl slumped, tears making their way through tight shut eyes as she realized she was caught. Hilde's expression softened, but Duo shot her a warning glance as he bent down and grabbed the girl's shoulder, not gripping it to hurt her, but making sure she couldn't run away. The girl opened her eyes, the tears drying quickly and she stared as Duo looked at her intently, studying her appearance.

Her clothes were dirty with dried mud, grease, oil, the jacket leather aged and peeling in places. The hat had fallen off, revealing dark brown hair that seemed to flow down her back. There were patches where tears used to be on her clothes, though the holes in her jeans were abundant, and the sneakers were a few scuffs shy of being thrown away. Her face was equally dirty, and she looked scrawny for her supposed age. But it was her eyes that were captivating… crimson colored eyes, a deep red, like nail polish or blood…

'She looks like a street kid… was she planted here, though? It all depends what she tells me…' Duo spoke to her in a calm voice. "Look, we won't report you to the police. But you should know it's not right to take what doesn't belong to you-"

"Yeah, right, and it's right for kids to be homeless and living on the streets? I don't think so! Besides, what if you were starving? You'd need food, wouldn't you? Or would you die trying to be good and eating leftovers out of a dumpster when others were finished with them?" She flashed him a wide-eyed look, her garnet-jeweled eyes staring into his amethyst eyes.

"Are you hungry?" Hilde suddenly said.

"Huh?" Both Duo and the girl looked toward Hilde, who had removed her foot from the girl's wrist and was beside the bike, looking sincerely at the girl.

"We have plenty of leftovers- we had pizza tonight. Most kids like pizza, don't they? C'mon, what do you say? You can tell us how you got this motorcycle, okay?" Hilde smiled at the girl, whose eyes were wide.

She turned toward Duo and looked up at him with a pleading look, not unlike that of a puppy begging. "Can I? Is it okay? I'll tell you about the bike, honest!"

"I don't see why not…" Duo stared as the kid sprang up, grinning.

"Alright! Thanks mister!" Then the girl stopped laughing, eyeing the two strangers in front of her thoughtfully and grinned. "You both seem like you're nice enough. Besides, you didn't shoot at me or anything, so you don't seem too bad!"

Duo smiled ruefully. This kid was pretty smart, street-wise, and had a sense of humor as well. "She reminds me of me when I was that age," he thought to himself.

The kid ran over to Hilde and hugged her tightly. "Thank you, whatever your name is! Thanks a lot!"

Hilde's breath was taken away at the force of the girl's hug, but returned it. "Thank you, whatever your…wait, where's…" Hilde put her hand into her pants pocket, where her wallet, her pen and the switchblade were. The girl grinned mischievously as she opened her hands up. There was the wallet, the pen, the switchblade and another thing- Hilde's watch!

Hilde looked at her wrist in shock as Duo laughed out loud. "Looks like we have a little pickpocket!"

The girl handed the wallet, pen and the watch back, pocketing the switchblade. "Sorry about that. I won't take anything, but I like having my knife with me."

Hilde smiled, still flustered at the girl's skill. "It's not the first time something like this happened. Duo took me out on a date once, played a prank, made me think I left my wallet at home- he had it the whole time and used the money to pay for dinner and a movie!"

The girl laughed as Duo looked innocently toward Hilde. "Hey, Hilde, c'mon! I paid you back for it, didn't I?"

"Only after I threatened to leave you at the movie theatre, since it was five blocks from here!" Hilde retorted.

Duo shrugged, smiling as the memory came back. "You didn't do it after I ran to the flower shop and bought you those violets, though…" Duo turned toward the girl, who was smiling at them. "Okay kid, you can stay with us for a while. Now my name's Duo and she's Hilde, as you know. What's your name?"

The girl's eyes seemed to glow with an inner light as she replied. "My name's Raphael!"

Duo's eyes widened, the smile fading away. 'It couldn't be…'

The girl continued speaking, not noticing Duo's expression. "My real name is Rubi. Spelled with I, instead of Y. At least, that was what they called me on the street. Cause of my eyes, you know?"

Duo held the girl by her shoulders, his eyes grave, looking into her own as he spoke to her. "Rubi, I want you to tell me…who told you about this place? Who gave you the name Raphael?"

The girl named Rubi narrowed her eyebrows in thought, her eyes shutting as she tried to remember. Then her eyes opened, again, this time with the light of remembrance in them.

"It was some guy… had a 'shroom cut, a scar down his face, and a really long nose. Said he was a professor, named G. Said to use Raphael as a secret name. He told me if I did and found someone named Duo, I'd be safe… it was a while ago, though. Is that okay, Duo?"

Duo let go of the girl and stood up, a grim smile on his lips. He looked at the girl, the smile on his face shifting to a more sincere once. "Fine by me, Rubi. We can talk after you've had something to eat."

Hilde came up to them, offering her hand to Rubi, who took it. Duo watched as she led the girl inside, chatting like they were lifelong friends…He shook his head. This was the one with the name of Raphael, the angel of healing? And was Professor G still alive? What was he planning for this girl?


	4. 03 Taliesin

Colony L3- 9:45 AM- April 18

Trowa sat at the fire, sipping at some of the coffee that he had made. It wasn't anything like he could get on Earth, but with some cinnamon spice mixed with it, it tasted good and was hot. Catherine sat beside him, telling him about what was new with the circus, since he had been away helping the Preventers Group. He was just glad to be back and wasn't following the conversation too much, but caught the last thing she was saying.

'…And there's this kid that arrived a few weeks ago, he's one of the acrobats, using the low wire…he reminds me of you, maybe the way you're so silent…Trowa, are you listening to me?"

Trowa started and looked from the flames into Catharine's eyes. "Uh, yes, you mentioned something about a new acrobat… how old is he?"

Catharine smiled, glad Trowa was listening at least a little to her, even if he wasn't obvious about it. "He's ten years old. Seth's been mean to him, but that's the way Seth is, always having to be bossy, even if he doesn't know what he's talking about. The new boy doesn't talk at all, but the paper he gave us said his name was Taliesin."

Trowa blinked. That was the name in the e-mail he had received… there was no returning address and it couldn't be traced, but it said to 'watch for Taliesin'… Trowa stood up, setting down the cup of coffee.

"Catharine, I need to see him… where's Taliesin at?"

Catharine stared at Trowa. His expression seemed the same, but his eyes were intent, his voice with a hint of urgency in it. "He's in one of the trailers, asleep… Trowa, what is it?"

"I'll tell you later, I promise… Right now I have to see if he's who I think he is." Trowa hurried away from the fire, as Catharine watched him go. Thinking back, she knew that Taliesin was the name of a Celtic bard and wizard, one of the wisest and bravest men in their legends. She had read a book about legends and mythology when she was younger, she had used it to pick the name Triton for her little brother, since her parents had reminded her so much of Aphrodite and Poseidon. Triton, her little brother… she sadly watched the bright red orange flames dance toward the dark skies. He'd be about Trowa's age, if he were still alive…

Trowa ran toward the main tent, figuring that the boy would probably stay away from the trailer Seth was in, stay inside out of the cold…suddenly, a shape caught his eye. Near the lion's cage was a huddled figure, wrapped in a blanket, lying on their side. Trowa knelt down and pulled the blanket away to see the person's face.

It was a boy with short black hair, shivering and grabbing at the blankets, trying to keep warm, even in his sleep… he started and blinked in confusion, his eyes the color of sapphires, like the color of the sea during a storm. Trowa kept his voice low.

"Hey… it's okay. Are you Taliesin?" The boy nodded slowly. Trowa continued. "Catharine said Seth was being a bully. Did he do anything?" The boy nodded, then grinned and smacked a fist into his free hand, mimicking punching moves. Trowa smiled. "He tried to fight you, but you fought back?" Taliesin nodded. "Fighting isn't always the best way to solve confrontations." Taliesin looked confused and nodded slowly, then he cocked his head at Trowa, pointing at him.

Trowa was mystified by the sign language, then realized that the boy didn't know who he was. "My name's Trowa." Trowa noticed the light of realization that lit up in Taliesin's eyes. He offered his hand to shake. Taliesin looked down at it. Trowa noticed the boy's expression wasn't confusion or wariness but… fear… he was afraid to shake hands?

Trowa moved his hand away, but Taliesin reached out quickly and grabbed it. Trowa saw a flash of light, then grayness…

…It was as if he were watching a black and white movie… Trowa felt Taliesin's hand holding his, but wasn't able to shut his eyes or jerk away… what he saw were memories, Taliesin's memories, through the boy's own eyes…

Inside of a hospital room, some years ago...

"Well, little one… you're the second boy in this family…" said the woman who was holding him, cradling him in her arms. "Your older brother Kentaro's waiting outside; we have to think of a name for you…" An older man came in, looking down at the boy in the woman's arms. "Diane, he's beautiful… look at his eyes, he's looking at everything around him. He'll be a bright one… do you have any ideas for a name?" Diane looked up at the man, smiling, speaking in a soft tone. "I think that this one should be named Kenjiro… Iwayama Kenjiro… but as a nickname, we'll call him Kenji…" The old man smiled at her, reaching out a hand to touch the boy's arm. "Ichiro would be proud of you, Diane… his sons will live on for him…"

A shadow appeared at the door, the mother looked up and smiled at the figure standing there. "Kentaro… come and meet your brother, Kenjiro…" A serious-eyed dark-haired boy about five years old walked over, looking into the eyes of the baby his mother held. He reached out a hand, and the baby grabbed one of his fingers, gurgling happily. Kentaro's serious expression faded, a small smile creasing his lips. Kenjiro was still a baby, but managed to hear a whisper from his brother before he went to sleep. "You're my little brother..."

There were many emotions and experiences Kenjiro had as he grew up… the feeling of being held, safe…happiness…the joy of living… learning to walk, run, read, and write… but since he was born, he could not speak, though he moved his mouth and tried over and over again. His mother went to many doctors, but each new method brought no success. Kenjiro was silent, a mute, for reasons unknown. But despite this, he was intelligent, was a very avid student, and did well in school and at home. .

When he was seven, on a day he came home from school, his older brother walking him home, there was an ominous presence in the air. Something wasn't right. They had to get home, quickly! Kenjiro ran ahead, his brother behind him, calling after him. Kenjiro stopped in front of their house, it was on fire… all the houses on their street were catching flames or being consumed by them…sirens were blaring all around him, all across town, until there was a upheaval of noise… fire… smoke… people screaming, shouting… a crowd was rushing past them, people were hysterical, running to get away. The crowd separated the two boys from each other. Kenjiro tried to make his way through, to get to his brother, but felt a hand grab his and pull him away. Kenjiro turned and saw Kentaro, fighting and shoving people, trying to get through the crowd to reach him. "Kenji! Where are you, Kenjiro! I found Mother and Grandfather, they're alive! Kenjiro! Kenjiro! Get out of my way! I have to reach my brother! Kenjiro!"

Kenjiro tried to get free, trying to yank his hand away… but it was no use, the grip on the person was like steel… Kentaro faded away as the crowd moved past, blocking him from view. The person holding Kenjiro's hand took him to an alley, stopping. Kenjiro tried to escape, pulling more frantically, but stopped when he heard the person speak. "It's alright… I won't hurt you, Kenjiro…" Kenjiro looked up at the voice, it was a man's voice, and it was a man speaking. He was wearing scientific clothing, but his nose… instead of flesh and bone, there was a metal nose… with four wires attaching it to the man's face. He bent down until he was looking into Kenjiro's eyes.

"Listen to me, Kenjiro… OZ is attacking; they are taking over your base. Your family will survive; I promise you they will be safe. But you must trust me if you want to live. Take this ticket-" the man pressed a ticket into the boy's hands- "- there's a fake I.D. inside, your name is Taliesin. Remember that name. Go to colony L3. Find the circus with the boy named Trowa Barton. He has a friend named Catherine Bloom. Trowa is the pilot of a Gundam, he will help you…" At the boy's confused look, the man sighed. "Kenjiro, you have an amazing gift. You cannot speak, but you can send images into the minds of whoever you wish… telling those people your intentions, your ideas, your thoughts… all without words. You must go to L3. Trowa will take care of you, and your family will be safe, I promise this. Your gift should not be taken away. Go."

With that, the man let go of Kenjiro's hand, and vanished into the crowd. Kenjiro stared at the ticket. It was a space shuttle ticket, going one way, complete with a false I.D card and passport with his picture. How did this guy have his picture? More importantly, how did he know about his ability? It had been a secret kept within their family, though he had used it a few times in the past, just to try it out. His older brother Kentaro didn't have a power like that, so he was a little jealous... but one time Kenjiro helped him out, so he thought it was cool...

He looked down at the ticket, knowing he was going to go. He knew that the man was telling the truth, but he couldn't really explain how… it was just something he felt, rather than thought. He stuffed the ticket in his pocket and ran, toward the airport… there was a large crowd gathered there, but he made his way through the crowd, the security, and the adults and found himself sitting in a window seat, looking out at his town. OZ had granted the space shuttle permission to launch, having gained control of the airport. The plane moved, started to pick up speed, lifted from the ground… and Kenjiro looked down at the town he had lived in, where his family was… he made a promise to himself, that whatever the future brought, he was going to find his family.

That had been three years ago… he had landed on the colony and had traveled around, doing odd jobs, earning his food and searching for the circus with the two people he had been told to find- a boy named Trowa Barton and a girl named Catharine Bloom…

Trowa yanked his hand away and fell back, his vision returned to him, everything back to color… The boy, Kenjiro, Taliesin, stared at him, his eyes watching Trowa intently. Whatever Trowa had been expecting, it certainly wasn't a boy with abilities such as this… Trowa realized he was staring and regained his composure. Then he reached out toward Kenjiro; the boy winced; shutting his eyes, thinking Trowa was going to grab him… then opened them, seeing Trowa's hand offered to him. He took it, and this time there was no rapport. Trowa helped the boy from the ground, inwardly relieved; on the outside, he kept his solemn expression. "Come on, Taliesin… you can tell me the rest inside of the trailer I share with Catharine… but you can just write words, instead of…"

Trowa stopped, thinking of the right name for it. The boy looked at him, and at once a thought 'entered' more than appeared in Trowa's mind.

"I call it Projecting. It's like showing a person a movie, from a film projector… and this isn't mind reading… I can just project my thoughts to others when communication is strong enough. I can't explain it as much as I feel it. And Taliesin was just my code name…will you call me Kenji?"

Trowa looked at the boy with amazement. He caught himself as he realized he was staring, and a small smile appeared on his face. "Alright, Kenji. But no surprises like that." Kenjiro smiled back.

It was raining as the two boys made their way to the trailer. But to Iwayama Kenjiro, as he stared up, watching the water drops fall to the ground, that rain held the promise of a new beginning.


	5. 04 Nuhad

Colony L4- 10:45 PM- April 18

The desert wind was cold that night… it whistled past, blowing gusts of sand from the many dunes, swirling the light dust in the breeze. Rashid stared out into the night, watching the familiar shapes move across the desert skyline. The Maganac Corps mobile dolls were still used, but with the peace and the demolition of certain weapons, only a few were armed with guns and lasers. The rest had beam swords and shields, just in case. Rashid turned from the view outside of the tent he was in and found a frequency on the two-way radio he was looking for.

"Master Quatre, how does everything look?" Rashid spoke into the microphone. The reply was fading in and out of static, but able to comprehend.

"Everything's fine, Rashid! It feels good to be using a mobile suit again."

Rashid smiled. "I remember when you first took my mobile suit, fought against those OZ soldiers. You used it like a professional, but now it's more of a carnival ride, eh, Master Quatre?"

The voice that came back held a hint of sadness. "Sandrock was an amazing machine, Rashid. Almost like a friend, more human than machine. But it was just a machine, and now that Sandrock and the others are gone, we have no need for… wait…" Quatre's voice came in, the sadness gone, now more professional. "There's a person out here… coordinates eight-seven-zero-nine…"

"Any backup required?"

"No backup necessary, I'll bring them in. Quatre, out."

The radio cut off. Rashid tried contacting Quatre again, but it was no use. He sighed, but a small smile appeared on his face. Quatre always welcomed the Maganac Corps, but whenever they tried to help, Quatre would refuse, attempting to handle it on his own. But if he needed back up, he wouldn't hesitate.

"Quatre is becoming a man now… learning to deal with problems by himself. There's nothing wrong with that."

Quatre used the harness line to lower himself down to the sand. He wasn't sure if it was a girl or a boy, the figure covered by the sand, huddled in blankets shielded from the cold. He moved closer, gingerly touching the child on their back. They looked up quickly, light brown hair dancing from the breeze as their hazel eyes stared up at Quatre.

"Are you real? You're not a mirage, are you?" The child asked, staring in amazement. Quatre smiled kindly, noting by the voice and appearance, the child was a girl... though more of her growth would show in time.

"I'm real. Are you?"

The child blinked then, looking down at her clothing. "I think so…" The child smiled as she swayed, the smile fading and collapsed to the ground, unconscious. Quatre picked the child up, and carried to the harness line, holding the child as he was lifted up into the mobile suit. He turned the suit and made his way home.

Rashid watched as his mobile suit walked into the hangar and down powered, the door opening, and Quatre lowering himself to the ground, the child in his arms. He made his way toward the main house from the hangar. "Rashid, please get a doctor! This girl needs medical attention…"

Rashid noticed Quatre's urgency and nodded. "Right away, Master Quatre!"

Quatre went into one of the guest rooms, placing the child into a bed and pulling the covers over the still form. One of the servants brought a bowl of water and a washcloth, setting it on a table near the bed. Quatre picked up the washcloth, squeezed the excess water out, and passed the damp cloth over the child's face, cleaning off the dust and sand gathered there. There were some scratches on their face, but only one was prominent, a deep red gash that curved down from the lip to the bottom of the chin.

"Do you need anything else, Master Quatre?" the servant asked, looking wide-eyed at the child. Quatre turned, catching the servant's expression.

"No… I have things handled here… the doctor should be along any minute. I'm sure this child will be all right."

Quatre dismissed the servant, looking at the child's face. The skin was red from sunburn, almost burnt from the sun's rays. He wasn't sure, but he thought that her eyes were emerald colored… and a scar on her arm, looked like a scratch… may have been from a bullet… The doctor came in then, rushing up to Quatre, looking down at the child in the bed. "This is the child then? When did you find…"

"About an hour ago… but she looks as if she was wandering the desert…" Quatre's Space Heart ability wasn't picking up anything from her, since she was unconscious. The doctor gave her a quick physical examination, checking the child's vital signs, temperature, pulse rate and overall physical condition.

"Is everything alright?" Quatre asked, looking at the "Will she be alright?" Quatre asked, looking at the doctor worriedly. The doctor tucked the blankets closer around the girl, turning toward Quatre with a small smile.

"She'll be fine, young Master. This girl was wandering through the desert for a while, with no proper protection from the sun or any predators… the scratches on her face probably caused by sand thrown up by the winds, but this one there," the doctor traced the scar on the girl's face, "some metal wire or shrapnel must have cut her, and this one," the doctor traced the scar on the girl's left arm, "this resembles a flesh wound caused by more debris or-"

"Bullets. Someone fired a gun at her," Quatre finished, looking at the girl, his heart filled with anger and pity for the child's fate. "Who would do such a thing? And to a child?"

"With all due respect, sir, the best we can do right now is to make sure this child lives. Maybe then you can ask her what happened."

Quatre nodded wearily. "Yes… thank you for coming out here, sir."

The doctor shook Quatre's offered hand. "Thank you, Master Winner. I will be by tomorrow to check on the girl's condition." With that, the doctor left, leaving Quatre by the girl's bedside.

The girl's eyes slowly came open, looking up at the blonde stranger beside her. Her eyes were emerald colored, and she blinked the sleep away, realizing where she was. She tried to rise out of the bed, but a sudden wave of nausea made her fall back down onto the bed. Quatre caught her and gently guided her down, pulling the covers and tucking them around her.

"It's alright, you're safe now," he said, softly. She looked up at him, smiling.

"Thank you for saving me…"

He brushed some of her hair out of her face. "Hush now, you need to rest…"

The girl blinked, then shook her head, struggling to raise herself up on her arm. "Wait… please listen… the attack in the desert, that's why I was there…"

Quatre moved, but held still as the girl fell back onto the bed, exhausted from her efforts, but still speaking. "You're… Quatre Winner, aren't you? He said you'd probably find me…"

"Who said that?" Quatre asked softly, holding the cold washcloth to the girl's forehead.

"An stranger… he was wearing a lab coat… showed me the way out."

Quatre pushed away the feeling of déjà vu that was threatening to surface. "He showed you out of a lab?"

The girl nodded feebly. "It was a development lab, for a mobile suit… I don't think they found the project, though…"

Quatre looked at the girl, wanting to know more, but her health was more important that his curiosity. "You just try to sleep now, we'll go back to the lab later… do you have a name?"

The girl appeared to try to remember and gave up, her teeth gritted. "I don't remember my name… my real name. I just remember the nickname the lab guy gave me… he called me Nuhad…"

Quatre nodded. "Nuhad, it means confidence. Right now, I want you to sleep."

The girl smiled again, pain still in her eyes. "Okay, Master Quatre…"

Quatre reached out and gently held the girl's hand. "Please, call me Quatre."

"Okay…" the girl yawned, dropping off to sleep. "Quatre…" Her eyes closed as she was taken to the land of slumber.

Quatre sighed. At least this girl was alive… but the lab guy… the description sounded like Instructor H, but it may have just been coincidence… but the code name to watch for, meaning 'confidence'… Nuhad…

Either way, this girl had suffered enough for now.


	6. 05 Phoenix

Earth- Hong Kong, China- 11:15 PM

Wufei walked down the street, pushing his hair out of his face as rainwater literally poured from the sky, soaking his trench coat and any part of his body that appeared from under the safety of an awning or an umbrella. He made his way through the crowd, watching the people from all walks of life- the teens, about his age or younger/older, working or making their way home, joking and laughing with friends- the elderly and middle aged, reading the newspapers and watching the televisions on display in the town, shaking their heads and their fists in anger or dismay, cheering whenever the news was good- the soldiers, staunch Communists and non-reformers, third or fourth generation British people raised as Chinese citizens. Each person had their own agenda, with their own concerns and dilemmas- so different, and yet so alike.

He made his way toward a restaurant that was still open in the late hours of the night, making his way inside. A man at the bar looked up at him.

"Good evening, sir, is there anything I can get you?"

Wufei nodded politely. "If you have coffee, I'd appreciate it greatly."

The man at the bar filled a cup with black coffee, giving it to one of the servers, a young girl. "Be careful with this cup now, Chang!"

Wufei turned, raising an eyebrow at hearing his surname being spoken. He looked to see the man behind the counter being lectured by a girl, who looked to be about thirteen or fourteen years old.

"Mr. Yoshi, I wouldn't have fallen and broken that coffee cup if someone had told me that the floor had recently been waxed and mopped! I wasn't the only person who fell either; twelve customers fell onto the floor, including those American tourists! And you had to pay for their clothes being stained by floor wax, so next time, put up some warnings and we won't have this problem!"

With that, the girl walked away from Mr. Yoshi, leaving him with his mouth open like a gasping fish. She set the coffee cup onto the table where Wufei sat, and bowed respectfully to him. On the left side of her face was a burn scar, a deep one, on her cheek.

"I'm sorry you had to hear that, sir…"

Wufei narrowed his eyebrows at the girl. "You should know better than to lecture your elders and betters, even if you are right."

The girl straightened her back, crossing her arms and glaring at the boy in front of her. "And you should know better than to correct someone who may know more than you do!"

Wufei gritted his teeth, glaring at her. "Listen, woman, if you don't stop this, I'll…"

"Woman?" The girl looked in confusion at Wufei, then her face broke into a grin and she laughed. "You called me 'woman'! You sound just like my cousin, when we were children."

Wufei looked up at the girl, his teeth easing from their gritted position, his grimace fading to a smirk as he raised an eyebrow. "You and your cousin must have had fun, if you let her get away with that…"

"No, my cousin was a boy. He kept calling me 'woman', he said that I ran too fast sometimes…"

"Like a phoenix through the sky?"

The girl looked at Wufei in shocked surprise. "Yes… that was what he said… we would play make-believe, I was a phoenix while he was a dragon…"

The smirk on Wufei's face became a kind smile as he stood up, looking at the girl in front of him. "It's been a long time, Lin Yao."

The girl's eyes filled with tears as she embraced the young man in front of her. "I knew you would come back someday, Wufei…"

Earth- Hong Kong, China- A.C. 190

"Hurry up, Long! I can't wait forever, I have to fly!" Lin Yao, the six year old daughter of Wufei's aunt and uncle, jumped down one of the grassy hills and ran, holding her arms up like the phoenix she admired, laughing joyfully.

"Hang on, Feng! Not everyone's as fast as you are, onna! Besides, my name is Wufei, I was born to fly!" Wufei, a ten-year-old scholar and Lin Yao's oldest cousin, ran after her, tucking his glasses into his shirt to make sure they didn't fall off and hit the ground. Lin Yao slowed down, smiling at the boy who was the closest to her age in her family and was more like a brother than a cousin.

"Why did they name you Wufei? It sounds kind of… weird," she finished, shrugging. Wufei caught up to her, narrowing his brows at her.

"The reason my parents named me that," he said, picking her up as she laughed, "that is because I'm the fifth firstborn son born in the family Chang… at least, for our family."

"How come?" Lin Yao kept asking questions, always curious, as six year olds usually are.

"Well, we're related because our parents are related. My mother is your aunt, as your mother is my aunt. But our mothers are sisters, and they pass on the family name to us, whether we're sons or daughters."

"And you're the fifth oldest boy in our family with the last name Chang?"

"Yes."

"Why does your name mean 'fifth to fly'? I don't get it."

Wufei set down Lin Yao onto a grass-covered hill, which he sat down on, looking out at the view of the city and the surrounding countryside. "My parents were visited by a wise man, before I was born. He said if I were named Wufei, I would bring honor to my family."

"You'll bring honor to us?"

Wufei shook his head. "I don't know if it's to you or to the Long family. I have to marry their heir, Meilan. I've never met her, and I have to marry her when I turn fourteen!"

"Maybe she'll be nice… with a last name of 'phoenix', she'll be proud and probably nice, too!"

Wufei smiled at Lin Yao, who was brushing grass off of her kimono, her dark eyes twinkling at him. He got up, brushing off the remaining grass on her and him, and took her by the hand, leading her back home.

"I know one phoenix I'm going to miss. Lin Yao…whose name means "beautiful jade treasure". You're a good cousin, and a good friend."

Lin Yao looked up at her cousin, hoping one day to be that strong for someone someday.

"Are you going to stay with us, Dragon?"

"Sorry, Phoenix… I have to go back to school. I came back here just for a visit. But I will come back."

"Do you promise?" Lin Yao looked up at Wufei, her eyes watching for his reply. Wufei held her hand, nodding.

"I will come and see you again someday, Lin Yao. I may be gone a long time, but I want you to be brave and remember me, alright?"

The girl nodded solemnly. "I promise. One day, though, I'm going to be a student too, and a warrior!"

Wufei looked at his cousin, raising an eyebrow. "You should be learning what your mother teaches you to become a young woman, not a warrior."

"But what about Mulan? She was a warrior!"

Wufei smiled. "Alright, Phoenix," Wufei swept up Lin Yao and held her piggy-back style, smiling as she laughed, "let's fly home."

The two children rushed down the hill, the boy carrying the girl, laughing as the sun set behind them.

A figure wearing a trench coat looked through the window of the restaurant and smiled at the two hugging inside. He turned away, the note he had left on the doorstep waiting to be found, later. Now, it was a time of happiness. After eight years, Wufei had kept his promise, and had returned home.


End file.
